


a few more days yet to go

by 100demons



Category: Naruto
Genre: Canon Compliant, M/M, Non-Binary Haku
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-29
Updated: 2014-12-29
Packaged: 2018-03-04 02:30:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2905943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/100demons/pseuds/100demons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You will be the death of me, Master,” Haku said, voice achingly soft.</p>
            </blockquote>





	a few more days yet to go

**Author's Note:**

  * For [redlipstickkisses](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=redlipstickkisses).



> I promised it would be done by the end of the year, though I never said it would be any good! I hope you like it anyway, despite the many flaws.
> 
> Thank you for being so lovely!

“I should have known you were going to push yourself needlessly.” Sunlight filtered into the dark cabin room as Haku ducked under the ragged blanket that covered the entrance to the small wooden cabin.

“‘m not,” Zabuza smiled raggedly at Haku, the brittle skin of his lips cracking. Blood welled up in the faint creases of his mouth and the tip of his tongue darted out, tasting salt. 

“So you say,” Haku sighed and settled by his side, setting aside the basket of herbs in hand. “When I left you this morning, you were lying down, covered in blankets.” Haku looked pointedly at the haggard curve of his back against the wall, tattered strips of linen hanging from his clenched fists. His right hand was curled around the handle of his sword.

“I just needed to sit up for a little bit.” Zabuza leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. 

“But--”

Zabuza cracked open an eye. “Don’t.”

Haku’s mouth thinned out into a flat line as they looked away, tucking a strand of hair behind an ear. “Of course, Master,” they said, voice silky soft. They reached over Zabuza’s crooked legs and grabbed the tepid basin of water, careful not to spill any on his lap.

It took only a small sliver of chakra before ice crystals started forming on the sides of the basin, slowly spidering in elegant webs from Haku’s fingertips to the surface of the water. Zabuza watched from underneath his lashes, catching the tiny visible puff of breath curling around Haku’s pale lips, brow furrowed in concentration. 

“I brought back feverfew to help with your chakra exhaustion,” Haku murmured as they dipped strips of cotton into the chilled water. “But until I can get a poultice going, a compress will have to do.” Haku’s knuckles whitened as they wrung the strips dry and wound them together. 

Zabuza winced as soon as the compress touched his forehead. “Son of a _bitch_ that’s cold. Are you taking your anger out on me, kid?”

Haku looked away demurely. “Perhaps I overdid it a little.”

“A little,” Zabuza snorted, but he kept still and let Haku wipe his face. 

Zabuza blinked, lazily, watching the drip of water trickling down the side of the basin slow down and gradually turn into ice.

“He could have killed you. If I hadn’t been there, if I was just a moment too late--”

Warm fingers grazed Zabuza’s jaw, turning him towards the side. Haku’s eyes were so dark as to be almost black, framed with long trembling lashes.

“You will be the death of me, Master,” Haku said, voice achingly soft.

Zabuza couldn’t bear to look Haku in the eye any longer and jerked his chin. Haku’s fingers trailed across the surface of his skin, spider-like, before fading away.

“You’re getting sentimental again,” he said, the point of his filed teeth digging deep into the flesh of his bottom lip. “There’s no use for things like that here, not in this business.” 

Haku murmured apologies under their breath, quietly, before drawing to their feet and heading over to the fire. The gathered feverfew went into the stewpot, along with a generous helping of water and various other plants that looked more like weeds than any kind of herb, though Haku claimed that they had medicinal uses. 

“How much longer do you think before this damned paralysis wears off?”

Haku looked up, tucking a strand of hair behind an ear. “Two weeks, usually,” Haku said and a flicker of amusement passed over their face as Zabuza bared all of his sharp teeth.

“But, my master is hardly an ordinary person. Three more days I think should do it.” 

Zabuza broke out into a harsh laugh. “You’re growing up to be an insolent little brat. So, then, three more days until I get to meet Sharingan no Kakashi again.” He felt the fire heating up in his blood, the thrill of an imminent hunt burning deep inside him. 

“His students, the three little ones, you can take care of them. I want Hatake’s full and undivided attention.” 

“Must I kill them, Master?”

Zabuza’s eyes flickered over towards the fire, at Haku’s slender back crouched over it, dark hair obscuring the look on his face. 

“It’s only, they’re so very young,” Haku said, fingers curled bone-white around the slim wooden ladle. 

“Not much younger than you are.”

“I understand,” Haku said after a long silence, his voice subdued. 

Zabuza’s grip tightened on his sword; there was a long scratch running down its length and several nicks along the cutting edge, courtesy of his last fight. It was hungry for Hatake’s blood.

He pressed his thumb against the blade, skin parting almost painlessly, and let it drink a little to take the edge off its hunger. 

“I don’t want any distractions,” Zabuza said finally. He looked up, catching Haku’s wide eyes. “Hatake’s the only one I’m interested in. I couldn’t care less what happens to the others, as long as it doesn’t interfere with my fight or with whatever the big fatass wants. Got it? I don’t have a use for tools that don’t know their purpose.”

“Yes, of course.” Haku bowed, but it didn’t quite hide the relief tugging at the corner of their mouth.

Zabuza pulled his hand away from his sword and licked the last few remnants of blood drying on his thumb. “Feh, I’m sick of this humid backasswards country and greedy pigs like Gato anyway. Got word that there’s good money up North. How do you feel about Frost Country after?”

Haku gave him a small smile. “I’d like that. I heard the snow never melts there.”

Zabuza closed his eyes, head bowed forward. “Of course you do,” he said gruffly, but there hardly was any bite in his words. 

“I’ll wake you when it’s time.”

Something soft and cold fluttered to rest on his cheekbone, melting away in a moment into a quivering drop of water. “Rest, Master. We have a few more days yet to go.”


End file.
